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Nigeria commits to ending pediatric HIV infection
By Francesca Hangeior
As Nigeria faces urgent challenge in ending Mother-to-Child HIV transmission, the Federal government has taken a decisive step in the fight against HIV & AIDS by inaugurating a Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) and Paediatric HIV Scale-Up Acceleration Plan Committee at the national level.
The move comes amid disturbing statistics revealing that an estimated 170,000 children under 14 are living with HIV in Nigeria.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa who inaugurated the committee at the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, headquarters in Abuja, said in line with global best practices, the multi- sectoral committee, comprising technocrats and bureaucrats, was inaugurated to ensure delivery on the mandate, tracking implementation along the federal four pillars of plan.
Alausa stated that the federal government is committed to ensuring that no child is born HIV positive and that those who are positive receive quality care, saying government will unlock value chains by collaborating with those willing †o commence domestic production of HIV commodities, ensuring health security.
“Through the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NAC A) and the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme (NASCP), we will provide effective governance for this programme. Working with all our partners and other departments within the ministry, we will faciIitate efficient, equitable, and quality healthcare for our children.
“This will ensure that no child is born HIV positive and that those who are positive receive quality care. We will also unlock value chains by collaborating with those willing to commence domestic production of HIV commodities, ensuring health security for our children.
“I have decided to provide personal leadership to this programme component. I will work closely with †he committee to review implementation and track data regularly, ensuring that we reverse the negative narrative of our contribution to the global burden of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
“Eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and ensuring care for all persons living with HIV, especially our children, aligns with the renewed hope agenda of Mr. President. As a country, this is a moral duty we owe to this generation.”
The four pillars of plan include early testing and optimized comprehensive, high-level treatment and care for infan†s, children, and adolescents living with HIV and children exposed to HIV; closing the treatment gap for pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV and optimizing continuity of treatment towards eliminating vertical transmission, preventing and detecting new HIV infections among pregnant and breastfeeding adolescents and women, among others.
In her remarks, the Director General of NACA, Dr Temitope Ilori, said the inauguration of the acceleration plan committee to provide oversight to the PMTCT and Paediatric HIV programme implementation is in line with the three-one principle of one coordinating agency, one strategic framework and one M&E system.
“Nigeria is grappling with a significant public health crisis: the alarming rate of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV and inadequate care for children living with HIV. According to UNAIDS data from 2021, an estimated 170,000 children under 14 are living with HIV, with devastating consequences including 26,000 new infections and 17,000 AIDS-related deaths. The current PMTCT and pediatric HIV coverage stands at a concerningly low rate of less than 35 percent, falling far short of the 95 percent target.
“In 2021, national and state-level data analysis with consultations with states led to the development of Nigeria’s Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children Action Plan. This was designed to scale up PMTCT efforts and paediatric HIV addressing the coverage gaps.”
According to Ilori, despite this comprehensive strategy and accompanying financial commitment, the PMTCT and pediatric HIV coverage remains critically low.
Consequently, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare constituted this acceleration plan committee to drive the implementation of this crucial initiative in line with the sector-wide approach to health care in Nigeria.
As part of its commitment to supporting vulnerable communities and boosting food security across Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc has distributed essential food supplies to more than 2,500 beneficiaries across eight communities in Uromi, Irrua, Edo State, under its Fidelity Food Bank initiative.
The intervention, held at the Uromi Town Hall in Esan Central Local Government Area of the state, underscores the bank’s continued efforts to improve the wellbeing of families and strengthen communities through targeted Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) interventions.
Speaking at the distribution event, the Divisional Head, Brand and Communications, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Meksley Nwagboh, said the intervention demonstrated the bank’s commitment to making a meaningful difference in the communities where it operates.
“Today’s distribution will provide over 2,500 beneficiaries with essential food supplies. This event goes beyond the distribution of food items; it is about uplifting lives, strengthening communities and supporting families with resources that contribute to their wellbeing and resilience,” Nwagboh said.
He noted that the initiative also contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2), which seeks to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. He noted the Uromi intervention was designed to reach families across eight communities and provide immediate assistance to those affected by food insecurity.
He also disclosed that Fidelity Bank distributes 10,000 food packs every month through the Fidelity Food Bank programme, working with 19 partners across the country to reach communities where the need is greatest.
The intervention received commendation from the Edo State Government, with Governor Monday Okpebholo, represented by the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Jerry Uwangue, praising Fidelity Bank for extending the humanitarian initiative to residents of Uromi.
Uwangue said the intervention demonstrated the important role corporate organisations could play in improving community wellbeing, particularly at a time when families face increasing demands on their resources.
“At a time like this, when family needs come first, this act of kindness demonstrates that corporate organisations have a vital role to play in the wellbeing of our communities,” he said.
“On behalf of our Governor and the good people of Edo, particularly the people of Uromi, I thank Fidelity Bank for this remarkable demonstration of corporate responsibility and generosity. We encourage other corporate organisations to emulate this worthy example by giving back to the people and communities where they operate,” he added.
Beneficiaries of the bank’s gesture also expressed appreciation to Fidelity Bank and its partners for the intervention, noting that the food packs would provide meaningful relief and help ease the burden of feeding their families.
Introduced in April 2023, the Fidelity Food Bank programme is one of the bank’s flagship CSR initiatives aimed at reducing hunger and malnutrition while providing support to communities facing food insecurity. Since its inception, the programme has distributed more than 300,000 food packs to beneficiaries across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The Bank is a recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine. Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.
Ex- Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Colonel Peter Kolawole Obasa (rtd), has died at the age of 88.
The Obasa family, in a statement announcing his passing, said he “peacefully answered the call to eternal rest” on Sunday.
Obasa was born on January 20, 1938.
The family described his life as one of “honour, service and fulfilment,” saying he left behind a remarkable legacy of “service, sacrifice, discipline, integrity and devotion to his family.”
The statement, titled “With Gratitude to God for a Life Well Spent,” said the family was mourning his departure while giving thanks to God “for the privilege of sharing his life and for the indelible mark he left on all who knew him.”
The deceased is survived by his family, including children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The family said further details regarding his funeral arrangements would be announced in due course. (This Day)
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has released the timetable for the 2026 promotion examinations for senior police officers seeking advancement from Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) to Superintendent of Police (SP) and other higher ranks.
The commission announced the schedule on its official X handle on Sunday, with the examinations set to hold from Monday, September 28, to Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
According to the timetable, the first examination, for officers seeking promotion from Superintendent of Police (SP) to Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), will take place on Monday, September 28.
Accreditation for the examination is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m., while the examination will run from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
The second examination will hold on Tuesday, September 29, for officers seeking promotion from Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to Superintendent of Police (SP).
Accreditation for the DSP-to-SP examination will take place between 8:00 a.m. and 10:50 a.m., followed by the examination from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
The final examination, scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, is for officers seeking promotion from Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).
Accreditation on the final day will begin at 8:00 a.m. and close at 11:45 a.m., while the examination will be conducted from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.
The PSC advised all participating officers to adhere strictly to their assigned accreditation and examination times as preparations for the promotion exercise continue.
Fidelity Bank Strengthens Food Security Drive with Distribution of 2,500 Food Packs in Edo
Just in: Former NYSC DG, Col. Obasa, is dead
PSC Fixes Dates for 2026 Police Promotion Exams, Releases Timetable
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